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Seattle Television Station News Director May Also Be
Charged

The pilot of a Seattle television station helicopter and the
station's news director may be charged with interfering with a
police investigation after four officers were killed Sunday in
Lakewood, Washington.

The four officers were gunned down in a coffee shop Sunday
morning before their shifts. During the investigation, Pierce
County Sheriff's Office investigators say the KING-TV helicopter
interfered with their investigation. Multiple media reports are not
clear on exactly how that interference took place.

Television station KXTL in Sacramento, California, reports that
Ed Troyer, spokesperson for the Pierce County Sheriff's Department,
said department officials called the station multiple times to
request that the helicopter be moved, but that those requests were
ignored. "We need you, and we need the public's help," Troyer said
in a news conference Sunday afternoon, "but we also can't risk
having other people get hurt and having our operations jeopardized
by a helicopter."

He went on to say that if the KING-TV helicopter showed up over
the crime scene again, all media would be removed from the
scene.

KING News Director Mark Ginther said the helicopter and pilot
had honored every request that the chopper be moved, and that it
had complied with all FAA regulations in covering the tragedy.
Still, Troyer said the Pierce County prosecutor will look into what
charges can be filed against the pilot and the news director.